Distinguished Member

I think it's great that we reviewers have different opinions and approach movies in a different way, and it's for that reason (and I know we can agree to disagree ) that I feel comfortable in saying:

6/10 for the movie? I loved this film, despite some of the flaws you mention, and in my books this is a firm 8/10. Some of the events you question are actually there for a reason, eg the hospital visit (it's another way of him having control, and letting the cabbie know he can hurt his personal life if things don't go his way - just imho )

Looking forward to getting this disc, especially if the sound is as good as you say it is

Member

I kind of agree with you about the reasons for the hospital visit, and I do take such things into consideration when watching a movie... but, the way it just seems to have been thrown into the movie it all just comes across as silly to me. I mean, he couldn't have poor Max in a greater position of helplessness as he already is... it's simply unnecessary to go there and adds nothing except silliness! And what happens during this trip, culminating on the bridge, kind of negates the point you make.

The movie is undoubtedly a classy affair, but I'm at a loss as to explain why such finesse and dedication to the movie making process has culminated in "silliness"! Why not keep it "real"? I think it wouldn't have taken much to make this an absolute gem of a movie.

As for the sound - Underworld/Hellboy/Van Helsing it's not... this is refined stuff. I suspect, and hope (!) you're gonna enjoy it. Having said that, I remember we disagreed to agree on that shootout scene in Heat

Member

hmm i too think 6/10 is a little harsh but do agree with your comments about the end of the movie, it looked like it ran out of ideas after tom cruise's character decided to go after max's lady friend and turned from a stylish thriller into your standard lethal weapon/die hard/con air/the rock/face off or any other action-thriller style ending.

Also i think the scene in the hospital served three purposes. One: Tom Cruise's character wanted to scare Max to make sure he wouldn't try and mess up his plans and Two: the deep reason, Tom Cruise's character feels a sense of loneliness due to his profession, and upon meeting Max, forms a bond of what in his mind seems like friendship, and he wants to get to know the man as well as he can, and Three: The deeper reason, he also feels distant from his own family, and wants Max to spend more time with his mother to make up for the lack of family in his own life.

Distinguished Member

Also i think the scene in the hospital served three purposes. One: Tom Cruise's character wanted to scare Max to make sure he wouldn't try and mess up his plans and Two: the deep reason, Tom Cruise's character feels a sense of loneliness due to his profession, and upon meeting Max, forms a bond of what in his mind seems like friendship, and he wants to get to know the man as well as he can, and Three: The deeper reason, he also feels distant from his own family, and wants Max to spend more time with his mother to make up for the lack of family in his own life.

Member

scrapbook - Hi. I thought Heat was an excellent movie. It was that shoot out scene that Matt and I disagreed on - I thought it sound a little dull

Hi there marc_angelus. Re: point one - I addressed that above. Point two - well, I do understand where you're coming from I personally view this "excursion" as suggesting two things. SPOILER from here...

One Vincent's gradually progressive fragility of mind, and two his wanting to make sure that Max's non-appearance for the very first time at his mother's bed side did not turn into something more serious... like his mother calling the police - she already was suspicious and had rung the cab firm.

... to here. Again however, I think this could have been handled in a much better, and less simplistic, way.

Many of the movie's "flaws" are actually addressed in Michael Mann's commentary, but of course he doesn't regard them as flaws and I'm sure he would (attempt to ) put me in my place should by some miracle he ever read my review... but at the end of the day, he got paid a rather nice sum to make the movie, whilst my assessment of his work is ever-so-slightly less well paid.

Well-known Member

Quite a lot of the HD shot footage in this movie is noticably soft and smeary (looks like they had to crank open the shutter to get enough light into the camera which resulted in the motionblur being excessive). The colour detail also takes a nose dive in these shots.

Anywhere that would make getting a film camera into the scene difficult (like the shots in the lift near the end ) are a good case to watch for.

They would have been much better off shooting the whole thing on 35mm if you ask me as the HD footage makes it look decidely TV movie and doesn't stand up well against the 35mm most of the time.

There are also some lacklustre composites in the interior train scene , especially the very last ones.